NEW YORK STATE CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE XIV
Conservation
Section 1. The lands of the state, now owned or hereafter acquired,
constituting the forest preserve as now fixed by law, shall be forever
kept as wild forest lands. They shall not be leased, sold or
exchanged, or be taken by any corporation, public or private, nor
shall the timber thereon be sold, removed or destroyed. Nothing herein
contained shall prevent the state from constructing, completing and
maintaining any highway heretofore specifically authorized by
constitutional amendment, nor from constructing and maintaining to
federal standards federal aid interstate highway route five hundred
two from a point in the vicinity of the city of Glens Falls, thence
northerly to the vicinity of the villages of Lake George and
Warrensburg, the hamlets of South Horicon and Pottersville and thence
northerly in a generally straight line on the west side of Schroon
Lake to the vicinity of the hamlet of Schroon, then continuing
northerly to the vicinity of Schroon Falls, Schroon River and North
Hudson, and to the east of Makomis Mountain, east of the hamlet of New
Russia, east of the village of Elizabethtown and continuing northerly
in the vicinity of the hamlet of Towers Forge, and east of
Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain and continuing northerly to the vicinity of
the village of Keeseville and the city of Plattsburgh, all of the
aforesaid taking not to exceed a total of three hundred acres of state
forest preserve land, nor from constructing and maintaining not more
than twenty-five miles of ski trails thirty to two hundred feet wide,
together with appurtenances thereto, provided that no more than five
miles of such trails shall be in excess of one hundred twenty feet
wide, on the north, east and northwest slopes of Whiteface Mountain in
Essex county, nor from constructing and maintaining not more than
twenty-five miles of ski trails thirty to two hundred feet wide,
together with appurtenances thereto, provided that no more than two
miles of such trails shall be in excess of one hundred twenty feet
wide, on the slopes of Belleayre Mountain in Ulster and Delaware
counties and not more than forty miles of ski trails thirty to two
hundred feet wide, together with appurtenances thereto, provided that
no more than eight miles of such trails shall be in excess of one
hundred twenty feet wide, on the slopes of Gore and Pete Gay mountains
in Warren county, nor from relocating, reconstructing and maintaining
a total of not more than fifty miles of existing state highways for
the purpose of eliminating the hazards of dangerous curves and grades,
provided a total of no more than four hundred acres of forest preserve
land shall be used for such purpose and that no single relocated
portion of any highway shall exceed one mile in length.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the state may convey to the
village of Saranac Lake ten acres of forest preserve land adjacent to
the boundaries of such village for public use in providing for refuse
disposal and in exchange therefore the village of Saranac Lake shall
convey to the state thirty acres of certain true forest land owned by
such village on Roaring Brook in the northern half of Lot 113,
Township 11, Richards Survey. Notwithstanding the foregoing
provisions, the state may convey to the town of Arietta twenty-eight
acres of forest preserve land within such town for public use in
providing for the extension of the runway and landing strip of the
Piseco airport and in exchange therefor the town of Arietta shall
convey to the state thirty acres of certain land owned by such town in
the town of Arietta. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and
subject to legislative approval of the tracts to be exchanged prior to
the actual transfer of title, the state, in order to consolidate its
land holdings for better management, may convey to International Paper
Company approximately eight thousand five hundred acres of forest
preserve land located in townships two and three of Totten and
Crossfield`s Purchase and township nine of the Moose River Tract,
Hamilton county, and in exchange therefore International Paper Company
shall convey to the state for incorporation into the forest preserve
approximately the same number of acres of land located within such
townships and such County on condition that the legislature shall
determine that the lands to be received by the state are at least
equal in value to the lands to be conveyed by the state.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to legislative
approval of the tracts to be exchanged prior to the actual transfer of
title and the conditions herein set forth, the state, in order to
facilitate the preservation of historic buildings listed on the
national register of historic places by rejoining an historic grouping
of buildings under unitary ownership and stewardship, may convey to
Sagamore Institute Inc., a not-for-profit educational organization,
approximately ten acres of land and buildings thereon adjoining the
real property of the Sagamore Institute, Inc. and located on Sagamore
Road, near Racquette Lake Village, in the Town of Long Lake, county of
Hamilton, and in exchange therefor; Sagamore Institute, Inc. shall
convey to the state for incorporation into the forest preserve
approximately two hundred acres of wild forest land located within the
Adirondack Park on condition that the legislature shall determine that
the lands to be received by the state are at least equal in value to
the lands and buildings to be conveyed by the state and that the
natural and historic character of the lands and buildings conveyed by
the state will be secured by appropriate covenants and restrictions
and that the lands and buildings conveyed by the state will reasonably
be available for public visits according to agreement between Sagamore
Institute, Inc. and the state. Notwithstanding the foregoing
provisions the state may convey to the town of Arietta fifty acres of
forest preserve land within such town for public use in providing for
the extension of the runway and landing strip of the Piseco airport
and providing for the maintenance of a clear zone around such runway,
and in exchange therefor, the town of Arietta shall convey to the
state fifty-three acres of true forest land located in lot 2 township
2 Totten and Crossfield`s Purchase in the town of Lake Pleasant.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to
legislative approval prior to actual transfer of title, the state may
convey to the town of Keene, Essex county, for public use as a
cemetery owned by such town, approximately twelve acres of forest
preserve land within such town and, in exchange therefor, the town of
Keene shall convey to the state for incorporation into the forest
preserve approximately one hundred forty-four acres of land, together
with an easement over land owned by such town including the riverbed
adjacent to the land to be conveyed to the state that will restrict
further development of such land, on condition that the legislature
shall determine that the property to be received by the state is at
least equal in value to the land to be conveyed by the state.
Sec. 2. The legislature may by general laws provide for the
use of not exceeding three per centum of such lands for the
construction and maintenance of reservoirs for municipal water
supply, and for the canals of the state. Such reservoirs shall
be constructed, owned and controlled by the state, but such work
shall not be undertaken until after the boundaries and high flow
lines thereof shall have been accurately surveyed and fixed, and
after public notice, hearing and determination that such lands
are required for such public use. The expense of any such
improvements shall be apportioned on the public and private
property and municipalities benefited to the extent of the
benefits received. Any such reservoir shall always be operated
by the state and the legislature shall provide for a charge upon
the property and municipalities benefited for a reasonable return
to the state upon the value of the rights and property of the
state used and the services of the state rendered, which shall be
fixed for terms of not exceeding ten years and be readjustable at
the end of any term. Unsanitary conditions shall not be created
or continued by any such public works.
Sec. 3. 1. Forest and wild life conservation are hereby
declared to be policies of the state. For the purpose of
carrying out such policies the legislature may appropriate moneys
for the acquisition by the state of land, outside of the
Adirondack and Catskill parks as now fixed by law, for the
practice of forest or wild life conservation. The prohibitions
of section 1 of this article shall not apply to any lands
heretofore or hereafter acquired or dedicated for such purposes
within the forest preserve counties but outside of the Adirondack
and Catskill parks as now fixed by law, except that such lands
shall not be leased, sold or exchanged, or be taken by any
corporation, public or private.
2. As to any other lands of the state, now owned or
hereafter acquired, constituting the forest preserve referred to
in section one of this article, but outside of the Adirondack and
Catskill parks as now fixed by law, and consisting in any case of
not more than one hundred contiguous acres entirely separated
from any other portion of the forest preserve, the legislature
may by appropriate legislation, notwithstanding the provisions of
section one of this article, authorize: (a) the dedication
thereof for the practice of forest or wildlife conservation; or
(b) the use thereof for public recreational or other state
purposes or the sale, exchange or other disposition thereof;
provided, however, that all moneys derived from the sale or other
disposition of any of such lands shall be paid into a special
fund of the treasury and be expended only for the acquisition of
additional lands for such forest preserve within either such
Adirondack or Catskill park.
Sec. 4. The policy of the state shall be to conserve and
protect its natural resources and scenic beauty and encourage the
development and improvement of its agricultural lands for the
production of food and other agricultural products. The
legislature, in implementing this policy, shall include adequate
provision for the abatement of air and water pollution and of
excessive and unnecessary noise, the protection of agricultural
lands, wetlands and shorelines, and the development and
regulation of water resources. The legislature shall further
provide for the acquisition of lands and waters, including
improvements thereon and any interest therein, outside the forest
preserve counties, and the dedication of properties so acquired
or now owned, which because of their natural beauty, wilderness
character, or geological, ecological or historical significance,
shall be preserved and administered for the use and enjoyment of
the people. Properties so dedicated shall constitute the state
nature and historical preserve and they shall not be taken or
otherwise disposed of except by law enacted by two successive
regular sessions of the legislature.
Sec. 5. A violation of any of the provisions of this article
may be restrained at the suit of the people or, with the consent
of the supreme court in appellate division, on notice to the
attorney-general at the suit of any citizen.